Jon Stewart isn't bound for any distant horizons anytime soon. Paramount Global announced on Monday that the "The Daily Show" veteran, who rejoined the Comedy Central talk show as an interim host in February, will continue to hold the reins of the program through 2025. Stewart, who had returned to helm election coverage, previously anchored live broadcasts from the presidential debates paving the way to the 2024 general election.
"Jon's penetrating intellect and razor-sharp wit position him as one of the foremost voices in contemporary political and cultural commentary," remarked Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President/CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios. "His unparalleled ability to sift through the chaos and offer incisive insights is precisely what we crave, which is why we're absolutely delighted to have him steer 'The Daily Show' for another year," McCarthy added in the press release.
Stewart's stunning comeback occurred after the previous host, Trevor Noah, concluded his seven-year tenure at "The Daily Show," leaving the show in desperate need of a fresh leader. Following Noah's departure, the program featured a rotating line-up of guest hosts, including Leslie Jones and Sarah Silverman, but had yet to select a permanent successor. Hasan Minhaj, who was rumored to be a top contender, faced adverse scrutiny in a New Yorker article questioning his truthfulness in stand-up comedy.
Stewart, who hosts "The Daily Show" on Mondays, will continue to share hosting duties from Tuesday through Thursday with alternate hosts. "I've absolutely cherished being back and working with the exceptional team at 'The Daily Show' and Comedy Central," Stewart stated, adding humorously, "I was really hoping they'd let me do every other Monday, but I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it."
The show returned live for the second presidential debate, featuring Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former President Donald Trump going head-to-head. Stewart poked fun at the candidates' "refreshing" return to dodging questions during the debate. "I just want to say, after enduring the PTSD of the last presidential debate, how incredibly refreshing it is to revert to the same old – nobody's going to answer any… questions!" Stewart exclaimed after watching clips from the first question on the US economy. "We're back!"
"The Daily Show" airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central and is available the next day on Paramount+.
